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W. A. LEVA-NWAY. Thin-Coupling.

No. 2 ,28,08 6. Patented May 25,1880."

WITNESSES I 1:NV ENTO M a M mZ N4 PETERS, NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNC.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. LEVANWAY, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

THILL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,086, dated May 25,1880.

Application filed September 8, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A.LEVANWAY, of Oakland, in the county ofAlameda and State of California, have invented a certain new .and usefulImprovement in Thill-Oouplings, which invention is fully described. inthe following specification and accompanying drawings, where letters ofreference indicate like parts.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, secure, andconvenient means of attaching and detaching the thills or shafts ofvehicles to and .from their axles, the device being such as to givegreat security and firmness to the coupling, while avoiding all tendencyor liability of the parts rattling or getting loose from wear, andavoiding the necessity of using india-rubber packing.

It consists in forming around the thilliron an annular depression and abushing in the socket-coupling, which bushing projects sufficiently farto receive and engage with the depression around the thill-iron, theiron fitting closely against the conical surface of the socket, throughwhich a set-screw passes, held by a wedge attached to the axle, thepoint of the set-screw engaging with a groove around the thill-iron tokeep it in place with the bushing, all of which will hereinafter morefully appear.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my coupling inposition. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view; Fig. 3, a cross-section; Fig. 4,an edge view. Fig. 5 is a section showing the manner in which thethill-iron connects with the bushing. Fig. 6 shows front view of theadjustable wedge used to lock the setscrew.

A is the axle, to which is clipped the socket B in the usual way. Iconstruct this socket with a bushing, O, which projects somewhat fromthe inner face of the socket, so that the thill-iron D, which has anannular countersunk depression, D, around it, will receive the bushing;and when the two parts are locked together a strong and reliablecoupling is had, with a bolt, a, passing through the socket, and thebushing surrounding the boltin position in the annular depression, bywhich aclose'joint is formed.

The lug b of the socket is concave, against which the head of thethill-iron works; and a set-screw, I), passes through this lug, thepoint of which engages the circular groove E around its face andholdsthe thill-iron in close connection with the socket and prevents anyrattling of the parts or liability to become loosened.

A slotted wedge, F, is attached to the front face of the axle, as shownin Figs. 3 and 6, which holds and prevents this screw from becomingloose, and when it becomes necessary to tighten up the screw, in case ofwear and consequent rattling of the parts, the wedge should. be drivendown.

In order to detach the thills, it will not be necessary to disturb thescrew,-as the thill-iron is provided with a groove, 01, and at a rightangle and intersecting with the groove E, so that when the head of theset-screw is in line with the intersecting groove the thill-iron can bewithdrawn from the socket. This intersecting groove may be made at anypoint along the circular groove, reference being always had to thecurvature of the thills or shafts.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the socket B and thilliron and bolt D a with theannular groove E and intersecting groove to and set-screw b, ar-

ranged and operating substantially as described, and for the purpose setforth.

2. The combination of a thill-iron having a circular groove, E, andintersecting groove on with the set-screw b and tightening-wedge F, whenconstructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes hereinsetforth and specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand andseal this 19th day of August, 1879.

WM. A. LEVANWAY. n 5.

Witnesses:

O. W. M. SMITH, JAMns G. WARD.

